


all the space between

by mrs_nerimon



Category: Haven - Fandom
Genre: F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-07
Updated: 2014-08-07
Packaged: 2018-02-12 04:49:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,363
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2096379
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mrs_nerimon/pseuds/mrs_nerimon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I love you." She says, because she can, because she wants to, because she doesn't have to run and hide from this anymore.</p>
            </blockquote>





	all the space between

**Author's Note:**

> So I heard the DVD is going to have the extended morning after scene from 4.08 on it, which is awesome. Until then, here's my take on it.

As someone who is definitely used to sleeping on her own (and sprawling over the majority of the bed), Audrey finds it difficult to adjust to waking up with another person in bed. Or, more rather, she finds it difficult to wake up with another person wrapped around her, under piles of covers, with the heat on in her apartment.

It isn’t that she doesn't like lying so close to Nathan; in fact, she seems to recall being the one to initiate their vague attempt at spooning before falling asleep. No, the cuddling is all fine and good, but not when it feels like 100 degrees and she’s pretty sure she’s sweating out any liquid she has consumed in the past 24 hours.

Unfortunately, her attempts at wiggling out from under Nathan’s arms only cause him to pull her in tighter, even as his eyes start to open.

The action is sweet, and under literally any other circumstances she would have gladly woken him up in a much more pleasant way, but this is unbearable.

“ _Hey!_ ” She taps his cheek gently, her other hand attempting to pry his grip from her waist. “Nathan, please.”

He yawns widely, scrunching up his face before his eyes open fully. 

“Wha’s wrong?” He mumbles, the last few letters getting lost in his tired state. Audrey pushes the blankets off of the two of them, although keeps the sheet tucked in around them. Nathan stretches out his hands and yawns once more and she uses the opportunity to scoot several inches away from him, leaving him looking very confused and very tired in the middle of her bed.

“You okay?” He asks, hands reached for her before he realizes it and the aborted movement flicks something inside of her. 

"It's hot. Really hot." It takes her a second to realize that he wouldn't be able to recognize the temperature, even though she can see sweat shining on his skin too.

Nathan frowns for a moment, his mind working just a few steps behind hers at this early hour. "Sorry?" He offers, giving the bundle of blankets a final kick off the edge. 

Audrey smiles and pushes herself off the bed, trying to ignore the way his face falls as she moves further away. "Let me turn off the heat." She explains, clutching the sheet around her body as she shuffles to the thermostat. She's not sure why; clearly there's no need for modesty, not now when she's sweating like a pig. 

The heating system in the apartment has to be decades old, and she's been asking Duke to fix it since the almost the day she moved in. It takes forever to warm up, but when it does the whole place becomes a sauna. It's more bearable when she's the only one here, but pressed tight against another warm body was overload. 

Audrey flips the switch off, and, for good measure, turns on the overhead fan. The relief is immediate, and she crawls back onto the bed quickly, resuming her position beside him. 

Nathan turns to face her, a small smile playing on his lips. "Better?" He asks, and she nods as she wiggles her way against him. 

"Much." Audrey lets her eyes fall closed again, reveling in the sudden cool breeze. Now Nathan's warmth is comforting, and she lets out a soft sigh. 

"You gonna fall asleep on me again?" He asks, his breath tickling the top of her head. Something in his voice tells her he doesn't really have a problem with her dozing off on top of him, as she did last night. 

Audrey had crashed much earlier than planned the previous night, although considering her past fews days it wasn't unreasonable. It's been exhausting, and any amount of physical interaction, no matter how enjoyable, had only tired her out more. 

She leans away so she can glance up at him, matching his smile with one of her own. "Sorry about that." She mumbles. 

Nathan pushes himself up onto his elbows, propping up his head as he looks down at her. He brushes her bangs off her forehead, and she catches a glimpse of the still unfamiliar darker color out of the corner of her eye.

"You're cute when you sleep." He says, the sentence ending on a yawn. This whole thing might be new to them, but she's known Nathan long enough to know that's the kind of thing his internal filter would catch, were he not so tired. 

She's glad it didn't, though, because he looks pretty cute himself with that sheepish look on his face, blue eyes peering down at her. 

"Just when I'm asleep though, hm?"

Nathan smirks. "Oh, no." He responds, his eyes scanning her form for a brief second before traveling back to meet hers. He places a hand on her other side and leans so he's looming over her, and now a different kind of heat is creeping up her skin. 

"It's all the time." He whispers with a wide, still sleepy smile and she can't help but giggle. 

Audrey presses her lips together to keep from laughing straight in his face, but he doesn't appear to mind. That dopey grin hasn't gone away, but his voice softens as he continues. 

“I watched you for a bit.” He sounds almost embarrassed to admit it, ducking his head as he brings up a hand to rub at the back of his neck. "Sleep, I mean. It was just... It was nice."

She smiles up at him, her grin stretching across her face.

"Wow, Nathan Wuornos is a big, mushy romantic. Who knew."

His chuckle is deep and sort of gravely, and she tries to ignore the sensations it shoots through her stomach. 

“Well, maybe with the right people."

"People? Plural?" She pokes his chest, and the sensation fades but he doesn't need to mourn it because all of her is here, in his arms.

"Should I be jealous?" She teases, nose wrinkling up. And then, lowering her voice as if she's going to whisper a secret- "Is it Duke?"

He laughs, the first real laugh she's heard from him in a long time, and suddenly there's that feeling again. Like something twisting and turning inside of her.

"I love you." She says, because she can, because she wants to, because she doesn't have to run and hide from this anymore.

He kisses her in response, movement somewhat sloppy this early in the morning, but that doesn't seem to matter. Audrey threads a hand through his hair, pulling him in close. She opens her mouth and he sighs appreciatively, one hand coming up to frame her face.

She pushes on his shoulders and he gets the hint, rolling over onto his back and taking her with him. When he breaks the kiss she sits up fully, knees on either side of his hips, one hand resting on his chest.

The sheet falls down behind her and she thinks there should be just the briefest moment of self-consciousness, but it doesn't come. Nathan looks up at her with wide eyes and tangled hair that's probably all her fault, and she just feels incredibly happy.

She doesn't know the last time she felt really, really happy. It had to have been long before the barn business, the Colorado kid, even Lucy Ripley.

"Parker?" He prompts after she's been silent for several moments.

She's always liked that he calls her that. It should feel more impersonal, she thinks, but somehow it feels as if it's a nickname coming from him. Something just between the two of them.

His thumb rubs at her hipbone and she shivers just slightly. She wants to tell him she loves him once more, but the words are so new she suddenly fears wearing them out. One day it will feel causal, one day they will say it to each other at the dinner table and in between not-so-discreet kisses at work.

But today it’s a revelation, an unfolded secret. So she settles for another thorough kiss, leaning down to press close against him. 

She stops minding the sweat on her skin as his mouth trails down her skin.


End file.
